[veidr]

Yeah, but one thing about the subways here in Japan that I think is weird: if I ride the subway to work (11-minute ride) most of the time literally nobody talks.

Nobody uses the phone (it's bad manners here), so like the only time anybody talks is like when a group of people gets on together (not usually the case when I commute).

I mainly bike so my subway experience might not be very typical, but it's one anecdata point.

Almost all my subway-riding experiences this year have been such that 95% of the other passengers are wearing masks, and nobody talks.

Can't be the main factor, but it might be one factor.

[flocial]

This. Talking on the phone on public transport is considered bad manners and practically never happens. Commute trains are dead silent with the exception of friends/family/coworkers traveling together. On top of all this everyone wears masks.